1. A crisis is an experience of cleansing received by members and therefore there are two kinds of crisis: firstly, a crisis or experience which one gets in all tranquillity and consciousness; secondly, a crisis or experience which one gets not in a tranquil and conscious condition, because those who have that experience have been thinking too much, pondering about something, or have been nursing their feelings about something which they desire.

Both these kinds of crisis are, in fact, experienced at the time when the inner feeling is being purified, so that the nature of this experience is purification necessary for the person's worship.

The difference between the two is only that the one is received in tranquillity and full consciousness, and the other is not in tranquillity and full consciousness.

If you have to face a member in a crisis of the first kind, you will feel quite all right, and the one experiencing the crisis can tell you of his experiences, of what he or she has received in all tranquillity, and he or she will not cause any anxiety to you or anybody else nearby.

But for those who are in a crisis of the second kind, because they are not calm and they are not aware of what they are doing or saying, if you are to face them, be in the first place calm and patient, do not be confused or hesitate, and do not worry about their condition. On the contrary, you should have greater confidence in Almighty God that they will be better, so that the people in crisis regain their tranquillity and consciousness, because a person who is having such a crisis, when stopped or worried about, will not be tranquil and conscious, but will be more confused and it will be more difficult to help him.

From Pewarta Kejiwaan Subud Vol. II, No. 5-6, page 116:Extracts from Bapak's letters, 1962.

2. Three kinds of crisis

CRISIS is a word used by Subud members to describe the state of a member in whom the contents of the inner feeling, heart and mind are being exposed to the surface in the process of following and receiving the latihan kejiwaan of Subud. It was, in fact, necessary for the member to pass through this state.

There are three kinds of crisis in the field of the kejiwaan. There are:

(1)A crisis in which one's inner contents are exposed in a violent way. In this kind of crisis it looks as if the person concerned forgets all good manners and social behavior.

(2) The second kind of crisis is gentler in nature. The person concerned looks calm and he behaves rather well.

(3) The third kind of crisis is very subtle in nature. The person concerned sometimes behaves like a teacher or guru, i.e. he is very fond of giving advice to anyone who happens to be near him. Moreover much of the advice he gives is correct.

In reality, the exposure mentioned in 1, 2 and 3 above is the way for every Subud member who receives and follows the latihan kejiwaan of Subud, which is truly worship of Almighty God, because this exposure, or laying bare, really has a significance: it is the breaking up and throwing out of all the mistakes of one's parents as well as one's own mistakes made during one's own lifetime. For this reason, if the process of the stripping away or exposure can be completed, the person's inner feeling will eventually become clean and wide, as in the case of soil which becomes fruitful because it is cleared of stones, hard ground, plants whose fruit has no use whatever, and other things which hinder its fertility.

From Pewarta Kejiwaan Subud Vol. VII, No. 3, page 3 - (letter A-805) 19 70.

3. Intentional bad behavior

IF a member is not in a crisis and behaves in a way that is not good, and this seems to be done intentionally, then he should be given advice so that he does not act in such a way any longer.

From Pewarta Kejiwaan Subud Vol. II, No. 11-12, page 361 - (letter) 1962.

4. Latihan with those in crisis

TO perform the service of the latihan for a member in crisis, a patient and calm helper is required. Of course after performing this service, the helper should have a cleansing latihan of 15-30 minutes.

If a helper is in crisis, of course another helper should do the service for him until he, the helper in crisis, becomes normal again.

From Pewarta Kejiwaan Subud Vol. II, No. 3-4, page 71:Extracts from Bapak ' s letters, 1961.